Gustavo was 20 years old when he made the biggest mistake of his life. Now, he’s serving a life sentence.
But this week marks a new chapter in his life and the lives of 24 other student inmates. Classes started yesterday in Oregon’s first of its kind bachelors degree program in its prison system. Everyone is super excited and the atmosphere was joyful.
Gustavo says, “I refuse to let my life go to waste. There is so much I can offer and, with the help of God, I can accomplish great goals even while incarcerated. I strongly believe that we, as inmates, should not see our prison sentence as ‘doing time’ but rather to see it as an opportunity to change, reprioritize our values, and strive to become better people.” You have provided this opportunity through your support, and I can’t wait to see what God will do in his life as he studies God’s word and completes his bachelor degree.
Dr. Bhatia, Corban’s Director of Programs described the entire first day as “full of hope.” Like Gustavo, every student has a past. But this program lifts student inmates beyond their past to a better future. I am grateful for your support. Now, let’s look forward to seeing how God will provide for and guide our next steps.
Please join us for our banquet on Saturday, November 9 to hear more about PiFO’s incredible story and to hear the testimonies of two or three of our student inmates.